Wednesday, July 30, 2008

I went on a little run around the neighborhood and it is just too hot! I know I should get up early in the morning but the dogs make me sleep in. Bad dogs!

It is also too hot to sew. The light above the dining room table puts out a lot of heat and that with the iron makes sewing uncomfortable. Unfortunately I don't have time to give up a day of sewing so I'll have to bear with it. Luckily for me I have a large pitcher of iced green tea in the fridge to sip on while I sew.

The pups are sleeping and probably won't move until the evening. Such a life!Maybe they will sleep quietly while I do some yoga. It is crazy to have drooly boxer lips in your face while yer trying to get into a pose! *laugh*

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

My folks came out over the weekend and they brought my niece with them. There was so much going on! And too much food was consumed as is usually the case when we have visitors. The great thing about living in the Chicagoland area is all the restaurants. Saturday's run was only 90 minutes as those training for the CDC are in a taper before the half marathon. That's not enough running to counteract all those meals!

And there are only 11 more days until the Chicago Distance Classic half marathon! We received our race shirts but I need to exchange mine. I ordered a size too large in the singlet so I am just going to exchange it for a regular t-shirt style race shirt. I am hoping my ankles heal by the day of the race because I still have a gravel and grit rash where my heels rub against my shoes. The top of my right foot is no longer bruised but my ankles are still scabby. *ick* So not attractive!

This afternoon I've been working on another quilt for the Team in Training's 20th Anniversary dinner's silent auction. I'm actually working with a traditional block pattern of half block strings in purple and green (Team in Training colors). I was unsure when I started sewing a couple blocks together but I am liking the look of them so far, for being traditional block patterns which I typically steer clear of. The fabric consists of mostly batiked/tie-dye with a solid purple, solid green and solid black. I need to get it finished by August 4th so I can photograph it and write up a description to send to TNT. This means I will be sewing all weekend. Saturday's run is only 60 minutes so I should be home by 9am easily.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Yesterday I volunteered at the Harbor Lights Triathlon. On the drive up to Waukegan there were all sorts of cars loaded down with bicycles so I knew I was heading the correst way. I parked in the furthest lot from the event and had to hike about 2 miles to get to the volunteer check-in. 2 miles in shoes that did nothing but make the bruising on the top of my right foot hurt even worse. And the heel rubbing against the raw spots on my ankles weren't pleasant either. I tried on different shoes but everything hurt, I just couldn't win.

Anyway, I think I was supposed to mention I was volunteering with Team in Training but when the woman asked if I was with a team, I said no. My first thought was "I'm here alone so no team". Wrong answer. But I got to hang out in the transition pit where the athletes would go from the swimming to the biking and finally the running parts. I pointed them to the bike out areas and the run out areas and checked bike numbers to bib numbers at the end of the event as they left the transition pit. I didn't get to see much of the event other than the running start and when they doubled back to pass the pit and head to the finish line just down the road from me.

It was interesting to see how even if the first swimmers returned and left on the biking portion first, they weren't always the first back for the rest of the events. First wave didn't always mean first finishers. And body type did not determine first finishers. There were so many shapes and sizes and ages of athletes! And the most fit people weren't necessarily first finishers.

There was this one man, somewhere between 60-70 yeas old, who did the entire triathlon in black swimming briefs. I heard people laughing at him as he ran out, even I smiled but for different reasons. Here was this older man wearing black briefs and more naked than any other triathlete and yet he pulled it off. And he was doing well. And doing something that the crowd, many of which laughed, were not doing. I knew I couldn't do what he was doing (oh, maybe I could but I wasn't and probably wouldn't ever). It strikes me as bad form to make fun of someone, for whatever reason, if they are doing something you are not. (Of course, it is rude to make fun of people anyway because everyone is different in one way or another. But never mind my rambling...) I was impressed by this man because of his attire and for doing something that I was only volunteering to help at.

So anyway, the volunteering was interesting and next time I will remember to mention that I am there with Team in Training.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Actually, I only made it 11 miles but that was due to a foot injury, alas.

I learned something today, it isn't too terrible to run in the rain. And boy howdy did it rain! It never stopped raining. It rained hard and it rained gently. It rained straight down and it rained at an angle. It rained, rained and rained some more.

Unfortunately this rain caused huge, deep rivers all over the crushed limestone path. My shoes were filled with limey water and the grit got all over my legs and ankles. This grit rubbed up against my ankle where my shoe and ankle met up and how I have major gravel rash on my right foot.

This wet shoe problem had me slipping and sliding inside my shoes and I ended up bruising the top of my right foot pretty bad. It's not a visible bruise as though I whacked it into a wall but more of a muscle and tendon bruise and every time my shoe met the top of my foot I was in pain. I'm not sure if it was due to wet shoes or dodging massive puddles or a combination of both but now my foot is in agony. Any pressure on the top of my foot makes me wince (not to mention the grit rubbing on my ankle *eep*). I noticed it around mile 7 and tried pushing through. By mile 10 I was crying and trying to figure out how to step without antagonizing my foot. I had to turn around and head back.

I spoke with one of the coaches and he said to ice it and see what happens. I did remember to ice it when I got home so hopefully that helped. I'll keep icing this week because I am rearranging my long run and doing that on Thursday since my folks and niece are coming out to visit. Yay!!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Wow! Okay... we were out of town over 4th of July weekend since there was no Team in Training run scheduled for the 5th. So the boy and I took advantage of that fact and drove out to Ohio to see the family and to go zip lining with my folks. For anyone in the area, check out the Hocking Hills Canopy Tours! And make reservations with Chris and Neil because they were teh best tour guides ever! I have a fear of heights but since my step-dad was able to zip line I decided I would give it a shot. It took about three lines before I was somewhat comfortable. I still screamed like a banshee every time but it did get enjoyable after a while.

Last Saturday's run was canceled due to thunderstorms so I had to make up my run yesterday. 10 miles! The lakefront path was more crowded than I had thought it would be. I figured it being a weekday morning that no one would be out. But there were more people than I'd expected. My ankle hurts again because I forgot to wrap it before I left and I had another headache (although not as bad as the first couple runs) and the usual "urge". It felt strange to be running alone out there. I'd gotten used to running with the team on Saturday's.

This Saturday is 12 miles and then Sunday I've volunteered to work at a triathlon with Team in Training. I've yet to hear back from the woman I emailed. I hope I hear back from her because I'd love to volunteer and I've never witnessed a triathlon before. I've also volunteered for one in August. I want to keep with TNT in some manner because they do good things. And even helping at these events will keep me motivated.

25 days until my half marathon!!! It's really creeping up on me! I don't feel like I've been training long enough for the half to almost be here. *laugh* And almost three months until the full marathon. That one scares me. I don't want to have another Disney experience. I know my legs can carry me to the finish, I just hope my intestines give me a break!

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That random bio stuffs...

I am female, pro-choice, pro-gay rights, childfree, a pacifist, an environmentalist, a believer in the goodness of others, an atheist and an American who believes in the right to question those in authority and expect them to make intelligent decisions for my country. None of these things make me un-American or unpatriotic.